Signaling apparatus



' y 1,640,12 gug. 23, 1927. W. Q LAMB 8 S IGNALING APPARATUS Filed April a, 1926 2 sheets-shed 1 Jnvn L01', Wfizzfnm G. Lama 5y Aug. l 23 1927. 1,640,129

w. G. LAMB SIGNALING APPARATUS Filed .Ap-r11 a, 1926 Inventor', vT/I/-LZZZL'anQ 6. Lam, by

Cn l Patented Aug. 23, 1927.

UNITED STA-TES 1,640,129 PATENT OFFICE.

wILLiAM e. LAMB, or WATERLOO', IOWA, Assmiion To L IIATIONAL SAFETY DEVICES COMPANY,V or WATERLOO, IOWAn SIGNALING APPARA'rrrs.Y

Appncmieny inedV Aprile, 192B; serial mi. 100,656.

My invention pertains to signaling apparatus, and particularly to thatclass which includes apparatus for regulating the performance ol"` locomotive or motor vehicle whistle or bell signals, and the object of my present invention is to employ a single starting mechanism in such an apparatus, which may be used by the operatorv at will in either initiating a predetermined series of signiiicai-it intermittent signals, or for use independently ot such a series, in effecting single or anv desired number of voluntary repetitive signals.

Specifically, my saidpinvention embraces f improvements in detail upon the signaling apparatus of- A. I. Voodring', as shown in his patent application Serial Number 746,097, liled' October 24, 1924.

It is not my intention to specifically limit 'myself to the exact structural details, in form or arrangement, of the device of said application, for the improvements of my invention are applicable to other constructions for the abovey mentioned purposes, and

i it is therefore to be understood that changes in the precise embodiment' of inventionl herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, as also in the constructions already known with which they may cooperate, and yet remain within the pro'- tection of the general combination.

The annexed drawings, therefore, illustrate certain constructions of said oodling4 device as a basis for the combination therewith of my said improvement.

In'said drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic rear elevation of a'whistle signaling apparatus of said Voodring type showing my improved starting means associated' therewith, parts of both being removed or broken away.

Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive are detail views on larger scales of different devices of said apparatus. Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofy mechanism of the combination Whose function it is to elfect automatically a series of predetermined intermittent actuations of the signal, reactively. F ig.3 is al vertical medial `transverse section thereof with parts removed. Fig. 4L is a side elevation ofthe devices sliown in said Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is` ai vertical central section of the operating valve device for actuating the intermittently performing mechanisms of Figs. 2 tov 4; F ig.v 6 is a vertical central'section of the differential valve device for controlling the compressed afir or other luid under pressure; It

comprises' a closed end cylinder, containing a rpac'lred plunger or imperforatepiston 1'1 having a stem 6 protruding through an apertured bearing in one cylinder-head. The outer end ot said stem 6 has a link connection 5 with a free end of a terminally pivoted arm 4-which may swing in one direction to press in a valve-stem 3y in' a control valve ycontained in a chamber 2 which governs the Whistle 1.

Thelpiston` 11 is resiliently reactively controlled by a coiled compression-spring 12 mounted between it and the adjacent cylinder-head1. 'Il-he opposite centrally apertured` cylinder-head 10 seats a bored plunger-stem 20' whose bore 21 occasionally effects commun-icationbetween the inner chamber 18 and the atmosphere. 'This chamber 18 is Within a hollow member9 which is removably mounted in the end of the cylinder 7 with its inner apertured end plugged at 14'. In the closed end 0f the chamber part 9 oppositie' said plug' 14 is a bearing opening for thev stem 20' which has within the chamber 18a valve-head 19 keptyieldingly upon it'sseat by' the pressure of a spring 15. An interspa'ce between' the part 9 and the cylinder-head 10 communicates by Way of a bypass 16 with the medial chamber space of the cylinder 7. The part 9 has an inletport' 17 leadinginto its" chamber 18 from a conduit 10Q-100 havin a control-valve 98 with a communication 9 to a conduit which receives fluid under pressure from a source not shown. The middle interspace of the cylinder l7 has a port 13 in communication wi'th aI conduit 83, and the latter communicate's with the upper end of' a differential valvejchamber 84 whose larger upper chamber 88 contains an imperfor'ate piston 85 of greater diameter than a valve-head 91 seated in a lower chamber upon a compression spring 92 which yieldingly keeps it seated, the valves being connected by a stem 90 slidably fitted in a medial chambei89, with the lower part of the stem narrowed above thev valve-head 91 for communication with a lateral port 86 controlled by a ball check-valve 87. The port 86 communicates by way of conduits 94, 95 and a valvechamber 9G with the source of fluid under pressure above mentioned. lThe lowermost chamber of the device 84 communicates by way of a port 93 with a conduit 99, and the latter is, by way of the valve-chamber 98, also in communication with said source of fluid under pressure While the valvular device 84 forms an adjunct to the whistle signaling apparatus, it will be no further described here, as it is used for the control of a bell motor not shown.

The cylinder 7 is pivotally suspended from a hanger coupling 8 fired upon some convenient support. The cylinder 7 is integral with a casting which also includes a bottom cylinder 74, an intermediate springbarrel 22, and a rear dash-pot 48, but the latter is not shown indetailed construction. A rotatable shaft 23 is centrally mounted in the spring-barrel 22 and a coiled spiral spring 24 is end connected between said shaft and the inner wall of the springbarrel at a recess of the latter, Referring to Fig. 2, a discoidal face-plate 27 is mounted loosely upon the outer end of the shaft 23 and has its circumferential edge cut away partially at 30 to provide a pair of relatively wide detents 28 followed by a pair of narrower detents 29. A member is fixedly mounted upon the outer end of the shaft 23 and has a radial projection supplied terminally with a threaded pin which can be releasably inserted in any of an arcuate row of sockets in the plate 27 to connect them in a desired position of relative adjustmentin properly tensioning the spring 24 Upon a fined bracket is mounted a rockshaft 36 having a fixed depending arm 35. At 33 upon the lower part of said arm is pivotally mounted one end of a finger 32 whose movement downwardly is limited by a shoulder 34 on said arm. A small roller 3l is pivoted on the free end of the finger 32 and is in the path of movements of the detents 28 and 29 on the rotatable plate 27. A short upright arm 37 is fixed on the rock-shaft 36 and contains a threaded con-V tact-pin 38 in an apertured seat in its upper y between the bracket part 42 and a sleeve fixed on the rock-shaft which carries said arm 37. @ne end of the sleeve 39 is recessed at 40 through an arc of its circumference to be traversed by a fixed pin or stud 41 projecting from the rock-shaft 36, which permits the stud to travel in said recess limitedly before engaging the sleeve toroclr it with the shaft.

U pon the loose sleeve 39 is fixed an upwardly projecting arm 43. A connectingrod 63 is pivoted at its opposite ends to and between the upper end of the arm 43 and the forward end of a bracket member 44 terminally fixed upon the upper end of the arm 45, the latter having a pivotal connection with an end of the connecting-rod 64 whose opposite end is pivoted to the toppart of the primary or lianCl-lever68-72.

The numeral y47 denotes operating valve device for an imperforate piston 8O in the lower cylinder' 74. rl`he piston 80 has a stem controlled yieldingly by Va spring 76 connected thereto and engaging one end of one cylinder head 77. The outer end of the stem 75 is pivoted at 78 to one endof a pitman 25, whose opposite end is pivoted at 26 to the face-plate 27.

The opposite end of the cylinder 74 has a port 8l which is in communication with a delivery-port 6l ofthe valvular device 47 by way of a short conduit 73. rlhe opposite inlet-port (32 of the valvular device is in communication by way of a conduit lOl with the conduits 100 and 97-95 supplying fluid under pressure.

The body of the valvular device 47 contains upper and lower chambers 54 and 59 with a communicating passage 57. A plunger stem 5G in theV chamber 54 traverses said passage 57 slidably with its spaced wings and has valve-head 58 closing the lower end of the passage and controlled by a spring (30 in the chamber 59. Above and vertically alined with the stein 56 is an aX- ially bored body with medial annular flange engaged by a compression spring in the chamber 54 to yieldingly keep therbody Vin its upperposition with the upper end of its bore 53 communicating with the atmosphere. The upper end of this bore is directed to open at the side of the upper diminished part of the body 52, and the upper end of the latter is below and in the path of downward rocking movement of a pressure `linger or cam member 46 pivoted at '5l to an arched element 5() tired upon the boef/'47. The member 46 is continued'upwardly in said rock-arm 45, whose upper end is pivoted to an end of the connecting-rod 64 and carries the lfixed bracket-arm 44 hereinbefore referred to. A fixed stop finger on the dash-pot top limits the swinging of the arm 43 in one direction. l

The numerals 68-72 denoteV a sectional idle movement of said valve device part while simultaneously moving both said coupled parts in a direction to act-nate the portion of said mechanism between them and the signaling device to operate the latter to produce a single signal.

2. ln an apparatus of the character described, a signaling device, mechanism for actuating said signaling device with a predetermined series or' actuations, said mechanism including' limitedly movable coupled parts entrained between but unconnected with associated elements of the mechanism, an operating valve devine also included in the mechanism, a lever composed of adjustably connected parts suspended swingingly near its upper end, stops fixed at opposite sides of the lever to limit its oppositely swinging movements, and connections between the upper end of the lever and a movable part of the valve device and between the lever and one of said movably coupled parts, permitting the lever to be swung to one side to move the last-mentioned coupled part idly while simultaneously shifting said valve dcvice part to actuate the valve and with it said mechanism for producing a series ot signals by the signaling device, the lever when swung to the opposite side i'rom its normally pendent position causing idle' movement of said valve device part while simultaneously moving both said coupled parts in a direction to actuate the portion of said mechanism between them and the signaling` device to operate the latter to produce a'single signal.

In testimony whereof I affix my siOnature.

WILLIAM e. LMB. 

